ow he was not laughing, "it will be because of
you--my dearest darling."

CHAPTER XII

INDIAN--INDIAN

I

The Merriweather fortunes had not been affected by the fall of the
Confederacy. There had been money invested in European ventures, and
when peace had come in sixty-five, the old grey stone house had again
flung wide its doors to the distinguished guests who had always honored
it, and had resumed its ancient custom of an annual harvest ball.

The ballroom, built at the back of the main house, was connected with
it by wide curving corridors, which contained the family portraits, and
which had long windows which opened out on little balconies. On the
night of the ball these balconies were lighted by round yellow
lanterns, so that the effect from the outside was that of a succession
of full moons.

The ballroom was octagonal, and canopied with a blue ceiling studded
with silver stars. There were cupids with garlands on the side walls,
and faded blue brocade hangings. Across one end of the ballroom was
the long gallery reserved for those whom the Merriweathers still called
"the tenantry," and it was here that Mary and Mrs. Flippin always sat
after baking cakes.

Mrs. Flippin had not baked the cakes to-day, nor was she in the
gallery, for her daughter, Mary, was among the guests on the ballroom
floor, and her mother's own good sense had kept her at home.

"I shall look after Miss MacVeigh," she had said. "I want Truxton to
bring you over and show you in your pretty new dress."

When they came, Madge, who was sitting up, insisted that she, too, must
see Mary. "My dear, my dear," she said, "what a wonderful frock."

"Yes," Mary said, "it is. It is one of Becky's, and she gave it to me.
And the turquoises are Mrs. Beaufort's."

Madge, who knew the whole alphabet of smart costumers, was aware of the
sophisticated perfection of that fluff of jade green tulle. The touch
of gold at the girdle, the flash of gold for the petticoat. She
guessed the price, a stiff one, and wondered that Mary should speak of
it casually as "one of Becky's."

"The turquoises are the perfect touch."

"That was Becky's idea. It seemed queer to me at first, blue with the
green. But she said if I just wore this band around my hair, and the
ring. And it does seem right, doesn't it?"

"It is perfect. What is Miss Bannister wearing?"

"Silver and white--lace, you know. The new kind, like a cobweb--with
silver undernea